Improvement ijf potato-diggebb



- TOQALL WHOM 1r MAY ooNonRN LEWIS Fines. or vi'nnnnjvineinin.

Lesers Parmi No. 76,427, ma Apm'z v, 186s..-

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGERS.

tlg Simula raam tir in ttm ettmi S19/vitaliteit mating pitt stip imma Be it known that I, LEWIS FINCH, oflVienna, in thecoun'ty' of;Fair`ax, and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvementrin Potato-Diggers; and I do hereby'declare thelfollowingl tb be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,v which are made part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe machine, with a portion ofthe mould-boardbroken away.

Figure 2 is a perspective view' of a rake of modified form, which will be hereinafter described.

The subject of invention is a. machine, adapted to' unearth potat'esfseparate them from the earth and tops, and leavethem in row-s on the ground, in convenient condition for gathering' up.,A

VIn the drawing, Brepresents a beamfconnected to an' iron-shed frame or sheth, Anwhichis armed in front wit-h a share,C, adaptedtopenetrate the ground to a suicieut depth, to Work beneath all the potatoes, and raise them to the surface.'i -Extending backward, from the rear edge of the share C, is a screen, D', formed of bars d d, and attached by a` rod, cl', to the beam, or in any other suitable manner. E is a cOulter, projecting downward f1-'om the beam B. represent a pair of mould-boards, diver-ging` backward,.and formed in front with horizontal cutting-edges ff at a proper height to cut the potato-tops or vin-es, and remove the bulk of the earth from above the potatoes Vwithout disturbing the latter. The. enttcrsff may be formed in one piece, meeting in acute` angle at f2. v The mould-boards F are provided with downwardly-projecting wings F', which may entend nearly as low as the share C, but are far enough asunder to pass on each'side of the row of potatoes, and are formed in fron-t with cu'tting-edgesff, their oihce being, as they precede the share, to remove the earth and vines from the sides of the row as the `horizontal cutters ff have Areimoved them from the top."Y The entire mouldboard structure F`F,ff,f2 may be/secured tothe beam by a strong hanger or ,-bracket, Gr, arranged-in any suitable manner to admitt of vertical adjustment to regulate the depth at which thel cutters ff will work.' This vertical adjustment may be provided for either by making `thebrackets in two' Ais omitted in the drawing to exhibit the share parts, notched on their inner faces, to fit over teeth or flanges 'on the beam, and clampingiit to the beam by screw-boltsgg, both above and below, or by a single bolt passing .through a vertical slot in the beam, or. theY bracket may be made in one piece, with a vertically-elongated mortis'e or slot, and adjusted by wedges W, which may be inserted either above or 'below the beam, or both. A portion ot' the near side of the mould-boards In operation, the vines rare eut away by the edgesff, and most of the earth removed from the potatoes. The potatoes are unearthed by the sharev C, and shaken loose from the earth bythe screen. .A rake, H, fol` lowingcompletes`the vseparation ot" the potatoes from the earth, and leaves them exposed in a row upon the surface of the ground, in convenient posit-ion for gathering. h is a hook, employed tosupport the rake H,

when'not in use.

Fig.'2 represents a modification in the for'm of therreke,` the .teelth being made as those of a cultivator, Wide below, and with narrow necks, between which' the potatoes may pass. A suitable spring maybe employed to hold the rake down to its work if necessary. v

Having thusdescribed my invention', the following is wha-tI claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The double mould-board F, adjustable on the beam B, and provided with horizontal and vertical cuttingedges, as shown and described, and forthe purposes specified. v Y Y 2. The combined arrangement ot' the jdouble mould-board F F,conveiz share 0,'and 'screen D, all constructed and operating as and for the purposesspecitied.

3. In combination with the above, I further claim the pivotcd rake H, for finally separating the potatoes from the earth as described. l v i i y To the above specicati'on of my potato-digger, have signed myhand, this 14th day of '.Ianuary,A. D. 1868.

y v Lnwrs FINGH.-

Witnesses:

OcTAvIUs KNIGHT, J. E. M. BOWE. 

